Improvement in springs for vehicles



J. LuRTls.A

Springs for Vehicles. N o.l5l, 097.A Patented May19,1la174.

MWI

J CHN CURTIS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRINGS FCR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 15 {,097, dated May 19, 1874 5 application filed January 26, 1874.

To all whom it may camera.A

Beit known that I, JOHN CURTrs, of CinA cinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful Spring for Vehicles, of wnich the following is a specification:

My invention consists in forging or otherwise permanently applying to the end or ends of a semi-elliptic spring a box, head, or other retaining device, within which a block or cushion of india-rubber is fitted, said rubber block or cushion being held in its proper pcsi tion by two removable sliding plates, which constitute the sides of the said containing-box. These side plates or caps are provided with tongues that are adapted to fit in grooves cut in the top and bottom of the box, in order that said box may have a movement longitudinally of the caps whenever the rubber block is either compressed or distcnded by the vibration of the vehicle. i

As the elasticity of the rubber can be made available only by support of the block on all sides, while at the same time motion of the semi-elliptical spring is freely communicated to the block, the two side plates are made capable of sliding in direction of said springs thrust, and are pierced for the reception of a screw-threaded shank or stem formed at the end of a springfbar, or of a plate or rod of metal, which serves as the abutment.

The body of the carriage being supported upon the semi-elliptic springs, it will be readily understood thatzsaid springs and the rubber blocks secured in the end of the same coact to impart to the vehicle an unusuallyveasy and agreeable motion, free from jars, concussions, and violent oscillations.

In addition to the above advantages, this arrangement allows the body to be located within the ordinary side bars that connect the front and rear springs of the vehicle, thereby permitting a greater range of movement to the body than could be obtained if it were lo cated above said side bars.

Having thus briey indicated the leading features of my improvement, I will now proceed to give a detailed description of the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my improvements applied to a carriage, the body and wheels thereof being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a modified form of my invention, the body of the vehicle being shown in position. Figs. 3l and 4 are perspective views of two other modifications of my invention, one of the caps of the box being shown removed in the latter view. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section at the lines .fr a', the rubber block being shown compressed by the thrust of the spring. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the various members of the spring detached from each other, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the box of the spring in the plane of the supporting shank or abutment..

A B represent the front axle and spring, C D the rear axle and spring, and E the perch, of an ordinary carriage or light wagon. The springs B D, which may be of the usual semielliptic form, are united at their ends by side bars, as shown at F F in Fig. 1, or at G in Fig. 2. In the former illustration these side bars F F are shown as branched or forked at H II4 and I I', said branches being provided with screw-threaded terminations 71, It t' t', that serve as abutments to sustain the stress of two semi-elliptic springs, J J to which the sills k 7c of the body K are attached.

Vhichever form of side bar is employed, it is necessary that they be constructed in such a manner as to render them comparatively rigid as far as vertical play or vibration is concerned, while at the same time said side bars should yield readily in a horizontal or lateral direction, which lateral movement is needed to overcome the severe strain that would otherwise be imposed upon the springs J J every time the body of the vehicle is elevated, the depression thereof being compensated for by compressible or elastic cushions or blocks, as will presently appear. If these side bars are arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the branches H Il and I I may be made in one piece with their respective supporting members F and F' 5 or they may be composed of separate pieces of wood and metal, or both combined, and secured to their appropriate supports by bolts, clips, bands, or other customary fastenings.

Ihe springs J J are not rigidly applied to their abutments, but are so arranged as to allow considerable play at their junctions; and to accomplish this result a box or head, L, is forged or otherwise secured to each end of said springs, said boxes being designed for the eception of an elastic cushion or block of ubber, M. This box is, in reality, simply an tnlargement of the head of the spring, which nlargement permits the secure application to i he said spring of the rubber cushion, together with its inclosing-eaps or side plates.

By referring to Figs. 4 and (i it will be seen that the boxes L are permanently closed at op, bottom, and ends, and that at both sides .hey are closed by sliding side plates or caps, in d it will also be noticed that the under side 3f said box is provided with two longitudinal grooves, l, while the upper side thereof is furnished with two similar ones, Z'. These grooves are designed for the reception of tongues a a', that project from the removable or slidable caps or side plates N N', which plates are perforated near their ends, as at O O', which perforations are traversed by the shank, stem, or supporting-abutments h or z'. The rubber block or cushion M is perforated at m, said perforation being in line with the apertures O O', so as to allow the shanks or supports h i to pass completely through the spri11g-box L. I) are nuts, which are screwed home upon the shanks h h' and i i', so as to prevent the side plates or caps of the box being accidentally detached. In the preferred form of my invention the block or cushion M completely lls up the cavity of the box L 5 but it is evident the cushion may be shortened, or may be formed hollow and receive a spiral spring, R, applied so as to assist it in sustaining the thrust of the spring proper. l/Vhen thus arranged, the cushion should be furnished with a short shank, m', to maintain the spring It in its proper position, as represented in Fig. 4. In this illustration the sustaining abutment or shank S is attached directly to one of the side bars of the vehicle Vby a clip, s, thereby dispensing with the forked members H H' and I I', and necessarily disposing the spring T parallel with said side bar or longitudinally of the vehicle. In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the longitudinal spring T' takes hold of a stud, U, which is fitted in the box L', said box being permanently secured to one of the side bars by bolts u, which pass through said bar, and also through the tlange IV of the box. In the modification represented in Fig. 2, the members H I-I' I I' are omitted, and the springs J J' abut against the ends of plates or rods V, that are attached to the side bar Gr with clips o 'v'.

My spring is fitted together and applied to any vehicle in the following manner: The cushion-pad or rubber block M is rst inserted in the box L, after which the tongues a a of the caps N N' are engaged with the grooves Z Z' of the box, and said caps slid along until their perforations O O' are in line with the aperture m of the cushion. The shank, stem, or abutment h 'or z', or S, is then passed through the perforations m O O', and, the nut l? being screwed home, the tting together of the device is completed. It will be seen that the simple act of screwing the nut P home not only prevents the dislocation of the caps N N', but also contines the cushion within the box, while at the same time it is free to distend or contract longitudinally, according to the condition of the springs J J' or T T'. In case either of these springs exerts but little compression or thrust upon the cushion, the latter' Will contract slightly, and will give readily whenever a greater pressure is brought to bear upon it, as shown in Fig. 5. As soon as the cushion is relieved of the thrusting action of the spring, its elasticity causes it to expand until it again fills up the cavity ot' the box L. The combined yielding movement of the spring and its attached cushion being transferred directly to the body of the vehicle, the result is, that the latter rides with an unusually easy undulatory motion, free from jars or concussions of any kind. The body, being suspended entirely within the side bars F F', is free to have a greater play vertically than if it were arranged so as to project over said side bars, or to rest directly upon them. It is evident that the box L may be varied both in size and shape, as circumstances may suggest or fancy dictate.

I claim as my inventionn l. The combination of the box L, sliding caps N N', cushion M, and abutment H, adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

2. The fixed and cushioned box L Z Z' M m N N' n n', secured to the side bar G, and provided with abutment U, for sustaining the stress of longitudinal spring T', all combined in the manner and for the object set forth.

3. The combination of elastic cushion M m, shank m', and auxiliary spring R,'adapted for use either with the box L or L', as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

Vitnesses: JOHN CURTIS.

Guo. H. KNIGHT, S. B. SPEAR. 

